How Roofing Nails Become Exposed

Chances are, you’re the average homeowner with an asphalt roof. If so, you might run into the issue of having nail pops.

Nail pops are when roofing nails stick up — kind of like they were never fully hammered into place. These nails can begin to retreat out of the roof due to the wood underneath and how it reacts based on the changes in temperature and humidity (or if the nail was never properly installed).

So why are exposed roof nails an issue? They help cause roof leaks.

How to Fix Exposed Roofing Nails

Step 1: Abandon the exposed roofing nail by pulling it out of the roof altogether via the back claw of a hammer. Use a small piece of chalk (or some type of marker) to mark the placement of the removed nail.

Step 2: Grab a new roofing nail and hammer it into the shingle, roughly one inch above where the previous nail was located.

Step 3: Apply a small amount of asphalt cement to the hole (caused by the old roofing nail) underneath the shingle. For added insurance, fold a small piece of felt so it becomes a two by two square and place it over the cemented hole.

Step 4: Push the shingle so it lays flat again and add additional asphalt cement over both the newly installed roofing nail and the hole left behind by the old roofing nail.

When you roof has some of its nails sticking out, it means that it’s not completely sealed from the outside elements — and that’s a problem.

If you don’t feel comfortable making repairs to your own roof (or being that high off of the ground), give us a call and we’ll send our expert installers over!